Would this circuit work on electronic phones, like the Panasonic, AT&T, and V-Tech ones?
Depends how they behave from DC bias perspective. The key is, both phones, when parallel, get about a correct DC bias current. If the phone is designed so it forces constant voltage, the one with this voltage slightly lower will take all the bias current and there will be nothing left for the second one.
But you may try. Maybe some series resistor (~100..300Ohm bypassed by a 10uF capacitor for AC) with each phone may provide enough ballasting to ensure a reasonable bias distribution.
This is the reason both phones have to be of the same model - so their clamping voltage is about the same.
The old non electronic ones have the benefit they are behaving as a true resistor, so first they distributre the bias current inherently well, plus they are rather imune if the current is off (just the volume changes a bit)
Plus do you need a bridge rectifier for the circuit? Because electrolytic capacitors can explode on AC.
They are not supplied by AC, but by DC. There is a rectifier, just halfwave, to allow the common AC winding to supply both DC for voice circuit bias, as well as AC for ringing.
The 100uF is a filter of a half wave rectifier (the left diode), generating about 30VDC for the system supply.
The 2.2uF ringer coupling is biased by the auxiliary diode from the 30V DC line, via the 10kOhm resistor. Normally there is no DC path from the capacitor to GND: Either the phone is disconnected by the relay, or the ringer is AC coupled within the phone itself, so again no DC path, soi the 2.2uF remains charged to about 30..80V (the 80V takes into account the OCV of the unloaded transformer secondary during idle).
Only when the called phone picks up, there is for a brief moment DC path to GND. But this means first a zero DC bias for the capacitor (so still marginally OK) and second the presence of the DC path energizes the relay, which then disconnects the ringing circuit, so allowing the 10kOhm resistor + its diode to charge the capacitor back to the 60V.
So only for some 20ms or so the voltage may reverse a bit. Not seen this as any problem yet, the real problem is the slow electrolysis and that needs time and no recovery (here the ever present 60..80V will ensure decent maintenance of the oxide layer)
To make sure there is really no reverse voltage across this ringer coupling capacitor, you may increase its value (even 20,,30uF are OK), you should still maintain its voltage rating at least 100V.